KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson on Youth, Lisa Hanna is calling on the Government to clearly state how many of the nation’s youths will find jobs this year under the National Youth Service (NYS) summer work programme.

According to Hanna, “word in the marketplace is that the programme has been cancelled for the month of August” and many young people were promised work, and unfortunately could be left disappointed.

It is understood that the programme, which usually runs between June and August, has been curtailed and that the regions of Mandeville and Clarendon have been slashed from the August schedule, Hanna said in a release yesterday.

“We have youth lined up and ready for work in August, in accordance with the number of places, Minister Ruel Reid promised. In these very difficult times, summer jobs mean a lot to many of our young people who are unable to find employment year round,” Hanna reasoned.

She also expressed concern that a number of other programmes, such as the Graduate Work Employment Programme (GWEP), has also seen cutback.

The summer employment programme is funded under the HEART/NYS merger, however, with the NYS budget depleted and the shortfall not picked up in the HEART/NTA allocation, it is uncertain how the remainder of the programme is to be funded, the Opposition spokesperson added.